Law Enforcement Judo, a preliminary evaluation

7:00 P.M. Pacific Time,  October 3, 2020, following the lead of our brothers to the North, Canada, Nanka Yudanshakai a Southern California Judo organization and an affiliate of the United States Judo Federation held their history making second meeting on Zoom with 20 participants from around the United States, Canada, and Japan. The first meeting held this past July was to decide on the committee chairperson and the direction it was going to take in devising a “use of force system” that would become a part of a use of force training program specifically for judo students who are law enforcement officers around Southern California and the rest of the country looking to improve defensive tactics skills as well as for those who have no martial arts experience.

While other countries like Canada, Japan, Korea, Switzerland just to name a few have Police judo committees this is the first Police Judo Committee in the United States to take on the task of officially helping police to look at use of force. In Japan it has long been used by their police force as a viable means of controlling suspects. There are several reasons why it is felt that judo best fits this task. For one, judo has both standing as well as ground fighting skills, and striking techniques.

The standing techniques are used to transition uncooperative suspects to the ground where they can be controlled and handcuffed. On the ground, judo offers not only pinning techniques but arm bars and strangulation techniques that when properly trained, are quite safe contrary to popular belief. None the less, the most important aspect of judo is found in its practice of “randori” or free flowing practice.

In randori, both combatants grapple each other, as both act as aggressor and defender at the same time applying their selected cadre of techniques to overcome the opponent. What looks like a melee  to most is actually physiologically and psychologically preparing the combatants to deal with the stress they would feel in a real situation when meeting resistance.

Other issues that will be discussed in the future of this Nanka Police Judo Committee include:

  1. Ground control
  2. Weapon retention
  3. Take downs
  4. Striking techniques,
  5. Medical evaluation of techniques
  6. Research Information on use of force.

More issues are sure to arise as this fledgling committee is off to  a roaring start. Participating in the discussion were officers and experts from the east coast, Canada, and Japan as well as right here in Southern California. In on the gathering were a law professor/community advocate, two doctors, a police chief, a lieutenant, several use of force instructors as well as a use of force specialist. Keith Chu, President and Jerry Hazemoto, Executive Vice President of Nanka also attended the Zoom meeting.

Full List of Nanka Police Judo Committee Members & Advisors as of 10-20

NamePosition /LEO/ Agency RankBrief Bio
Robert DraperCommittee Chair

Government LEO

Sandan, 3rdDegree BB35 yrs. Law enforcement both local & federal. Use of Force instructor over 20 years.  Judoka since 1989.
Hayward NishiokaSenior AdvisorKudan, 9thDegree BBBlack Belt Magazine’s award winning martial artist, author of several judo books and college professor of judo.
Gary Goltz Senior Advisor

 

Hachidan, 8thDegree BBPast President USJA & Nanka, LAPD Advisor in the 90’s, helped run LA Police Olympics, Founder of Goltz Judo.
Ernest SmithSenior Advisor

Retired LEO

Kudan, 9thDegree BB60 plus years of judo and 40 years of city and military law enforcement experience.
Kenji OsugiSenior AdvisorShichidan, 7thDegree BBHead Sensei of Sawtelle Judo.
John PaccioneSenior Advisor

Retired Detective

Rokudan, 6thDegree BBPast President of USJA. Decades of judo and law enforcement experience. Has own dojo in FL.
William Buckner, JDLegal AdvisorRokudan, 6thDegree BB (Aikido)Has his own Law Firm in Orange County and serves as been Nanka’s Legal Advisor.
Dennis Hannon, DOChiropractor & Medical AdvisorYodan, 4thDegree BBNanka’s VP of Medical with hands on knowledge of injuries associated with martial arts training.
Matthew Vander HorckActive LEO

Captain

Yodan, 4thDegree BBOver 20 years law enforcement experience in both patrol and corrections. Runs his own Dojo.
Keiya SaikiFormer police officer in Yamanashi, JapanYodan, 4thDegree BB

(Taiho Jutsu)

Taiho Jutsu expert which is used extensively by the Police in Japan in addition to judo & kendo.
Cheryl HaraiAir Force Combative InstructorYodan, 4thDegree BBNational Competitor, student of late Keiko Fukuda, highest ranked woman in world.
Justin WinnMarketing/AdvertisingYodan, 4thDegree BB15 Yrs. Army, strength coach.
Clint DohmanActive LEOSandan, 3rd Degree BBPatrol Commanding Officer.
Tony CortinaActive LEO

Lt. handles SWOT & Defensive Tactics

Sandan, 3rd Degree BB (Taiho Jutsu)In addition to Taiho Jutsu, he holds black belt in Judo, Aikido, Shinkendo, & Shorinji Kempo with decades of police training experience in SWAT and as a Defensive Tactics Instructor.
Odell TerryRetired LEORokudan, 6thDegree BB60 plus years of judo and 30 plus years of law enforcement experience.
Michael SheldonActive LEOWrestling 35 Yrs. BJJ 3rdStripe Brown20 plus years in law enforcement, 20 years defensive tactics instructor for regional academy and department.
Joe SpadaccinoActive LEO

Chief

Shodan, 1stDegree BB25 plus years law enforcement.
Uziel Sauceda, MDPhysicianAdvisorFamily and Sports Medicine experience.
Thomas AllisonAssistant Professor of Legal Studies University of La VerneAdvisor20 Years of experience teaching law, theology and is a well-respected minister.
Bruce SiddlePPCT Management SystemsAdvisor20 plus years law enforcement veteran & renown author of many popular books on defensive tactics.
Download full document: https://nankajudo.com/wp-content/uploads/Nanka-Police-Judo-Committee-10-20-1.pdf